Mail-catcher.



W. SEARS.

MAIL GATGHER.

, APPLICATION FILED JULY 17,1908.

'Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

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Patented Jan.26,1909.

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WATERMAN SEARS, OFNEWMAN, NEW YORK.

MAIL-CATGHER.

Specification of Letters'flatent.

Patented J'an. 26, 1909.

Application filed July 17, 1908. Serial No. 444,068.

citizen of the United States, residing at New man, in the county of Essex and State of New York, have invented new and useful Imrovements in Mail-Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for transferring mail sacks from a holding device at a station to a moving mail car or from a moving train to a holding device or for simultaneously transferring from one device to the other, and the object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction, adapted to operate quickly and not liable to get out of order.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mail catching and delivering device whereby any number of mail sacks may be delivered to'a car or station when the train is going in either direction.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mail car with a device of this character whichmay be swung to deliver the mail bag through the open door of the car or which may be swung and retained in position adjacent the side of the car when not in use.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of elements hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,rFigure 1 is a perspective view of a mail bag catcher and deliverer constructed in. accordance with the present invention showing the catchers upon the side of a car. and upon a,

fixed station post. Fig. 2 is a topplan view of the same, a portion of the carbeing shown in horizontal section; Fig.3 is a front elevation of the devices. Fig.4 is a side elevationof the mail suspending device.

Referring to the accompanying drawings the numeral 1 designates the side of a mail car. The car 1 is provided with aU-sha ed bracket 2, having its ofiset arms provi ed with suitable perforationsand adapted for the reception of pivots 3, by which the mail catcher '4 is pivotally secured uponthe side of the car. This catcher 4 comprises arectangular strap or arm 5 adapted to extend from the lower ear of the bracket 2, and the arm 5 is provided with a U-shaped extension having an oifset by which it is pivotally con nected with the upper arm of the bracket 2..

The car 1 is provided with a pair of opennormally contact Wit :upper arm of'the suspending device.

ings 6 positioned in a parallel plane with the arm 5 and located a suitable distance from each side-of the bracket 2. These openings 6 are adapted for the reception of suitable pulleys 7 around which a suitable chain ,8 is positioned. The ends ofthe chain 8 are secured to transverse ears 9 provided upon the arm '5. The interior of the car 1 is rovided with a U-shaped member 10 positloned directly behind the bracket 2 and. in a line with the chain 8. The ears provided by the bracket 10. are suitably perforated and are adapted for'the rece tion of a in 11. The chain 8 is positione directly with theloops of the chain to ock the catcher device 4 in any desired position. It is to be understood that the catcher 4 is pivoted a suitable distance away from the door of the car, so that upon being swung upon its pivots a mail suspending and delivering device, hereinafter to be described will be delivered to the open door and easily removed from the arm 5 by the mail clerk within the car. It will bealso' seen that by roviding the arm 5 with the chain 8 and the locking means for the chain, that the arm, when not in use, may be swung against the side of the car away from the door and thus positioned out of danger from obstructions along the side of a rail over which the car travels.

The arm 5 is provided with a suitable keeper '12 positioned upon the top of the arm forward of the ears 9 and constructed by bending the extremity of the U-shaped portion of the catcher 4 to provide a substantial eye. -The keeper 12 is adapted for the reception of the upper arm of a mail bag suspending device. This device 13 is substantially H-shaped as-illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, and has its upper arm provided with oppositely disposed depending ears 14. These ears 14 are adapted for pivotal connection with a latch member 15. This member 15 is provided with a horizontal portion 16 extending in spaced relation with the forward portion of the u per arm of the suspending device. 15, an the extremity. of this horizontal portion is upturned to form a li which is adapted to ll the outer edge of the The catch '15 is provided with a depending angularly disposed extension 16 having an offset 17 normally contacting the lower arm etween the vears, and the pin 11 isada ted to engage of the. suspending device. The o'lis et 17 is provided with a suitable weight ..18,.-by...

which the lip 19 of thecatch is forced into of the suspending device 13.

equalingthat of the opening provided by the keeper 12, and in attaching the device to the arm 5, the portion 16 'of t'hecatch' is swung rearwardly so as to disengage the lip-19 from the end of the upper'arm of the suspending device,wvhcn thearm may be positioned within the keeper and the lip 19 -again-ene age the end of the upper armof the --suspending device, thus'locking the device securely upon the arm 5. The free end of the lower :armoi the suspending device 13 is provided with a suitable lip 20, adapted for'the-reception of a transversely arranged -mail bag receiving book 21.

his hook 21 1S preferably constructed of a single strand of resilient material having one of its free ends bent to provide a hook-and its opposite free end bent to provide an eye adapted to be engag'ed by the hook. The mail receiving-hook 21 is elongated as illustrated in'Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, so that a pluralityot mail bags --may be positioned thereon and delivered at astation in a man- 1 ner hereinafter fully described.

The station or 'stationary catcher is ordinarily like the device abovedescribed. "-The' station device maybe attached to a -suita'ble pole 22 by brackets 23 and com- -prises a-pair of spaced arms 24 and 25.

The catcher arm 25 is-adapted to be positioned directly below the path of-the arm 5 ot the car, so asto contact with the arnild 'ofi the catchprovided upon themailsuspending device '13 to release the catch and sustain the suspending device thereon until removed by the attendant. The arm 25, as well-asthe arm 5 is provided with a hook extension orend 26, and it will be noted that when the suspending device 13is grasped by the arm 25 the hook 26 serves an effective means for retaining-the device uponthe arm. "(The upper extending; portion-or arm 24 is provided with a-keeper 27, similar to that ofthe keeper 12 0f the arm 5. This keeper 27 is adapted for engagementwith a nail suspending devicesimilar to that previously -described, and the arm5 of the car -is adapted to contactwith'the portion 16 of the catchofthis keepersoas to disengage the devicetromthe arm and to suspendthe it will be noted'that the keeper 13-may be effectively retained upon the arm 5 untilthe "chain 8 is operated by the mail clerk within --'-the car to=swing the arm 5 sons to. disengage thesuspending device 13and'the mail sacks carried thereby. By this'construction and arrangement it will be noted that the sus-' -pending devices 13 carried by tl e car and engagement with theend of the u per arm T18. upper arm of the suspending device 13 isv of asize.

positioned upon the device at the station are exchanged so that both the car and the .station always retain one of the suspending devices which may be employed by the car at the other stations and by the station with "other cars.

It will be apparent that mail may be left at a station from the car without the necessity of receiving mail from tne station or vice versa, that the mail bags as well as the suspending devices are securely locked and that accidental displacement or removal of thesame is impossible and that the invention is of a simple construction, can be quickly installed and is strong, durable and efficient.

Having thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A mail bag catcher and deliverer comprising an arm pivotally connected with the side of the car, a keeper upon the arm, a mail suspending device upon the keeper, a weighted catch member normally retaining the susending device in locked position upon the eeper,'means for retaining the arm in locked position, and means comprising an elongated hook secured to the'retainin device for suspending the mail sacks.

the edges of the arm, pulleys within the open ings, a U-shaped bracket having its ears provided with openings within the car, a chain adapted to engage the pulleys and to be secured to the ears of the arm, said chain adapted to travel between the ears of the bracket, and a pin adapted to be inserted within the openings of the ears of the bracket and to engage one of the links of the chain to lock the arm in a desired position upon the car.

3. A mail bag catcher and deliverer comprising an arm pivotally connected to the side of the car, means for locking the arm in a desired angle in relation to the side of the car, a hook upon the end of the arm, a keeper upon the arm, a U-shaped suspending device having its upper arm engaging the keeper, a catch member pivotally connected with the upper arm of the suspending device, a lip uponthe catch member, a depending portion u)on the catch member l'iaving a weight a( apted to close the lip against the edge of the upper arm to lock the same upon the keeper, the lower arm of the suspending device being provided with a lip adapted for the reception of a mail bag receiving hook, and-said hook comprisingan elongated body portion having one of its ends bent to form an 4. A mail bag catcher and deliverer for stations comprising a post, a U-shaped arm upon the post, the lower member of the arm having its end turned to provide a hook, the upper member of the arm being provided with a keeper, and a mail bag suspending device adapted to be engaged by the keeper, said suspending device comprising a U- shaped member having a Weighted catch by which it is retainedupon the keeper.

5. A mail bag catcher and deliverer comprising an arm pivotally connected to the'side of a car, means for adjusting the arm upon its pivot arranged upon the inside of the car, a keeper upon the arm, a U-shaped suspending device for the keeper, a pivoted catch having a Weighted arm upon the suspending device and adapted to lock the same upon the keeper, in combination with an arm secured along side the track of the car, said arm adapted to contact the weighted arm of the catch to release the suspending device from the keeper.

6. A mail bag catcher and delivering device for stations comprising a U-shaped arm, one of the members of whichbeing provided with a keeper, a mail suspending device upon the keeper, a pivoted catch normally locking the suspending device upon the keeper, in

combination with a car having an arm adapted to contact the pivoted catch to release the suspending device from the keeper. In testimony whereof I afifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WATERMAN SEARS. Witnesses:

C. N. DAVIS, Gno. ALFORD. 

